Nigel pauses, deep in thought. There had to be a way to investigate both. Maybe he could go back? Spying and being in the background was going to be easier for Nigel to do anyway than help out with a rescue mission. He isn't a solider, after all.

"I could go back to Canterlot, check on things there while you continue the hunt. I'm not a solider anyway, so I'm afraid I'd just be dead weight if I tagged along."

Spike rubs his chin thoughtfully. "That could work, thou I don't know if you would be able to get into as many places as Zack, you would be far less noticeable... I guess if Zack has no problem with it, then that will have to do."

From down stairs you hear Twilight calling. "Come on, where taking off!"

{OK, party splinting time! *face palm* Hear is how this will work. I am going to write make a note at the beginning of each most to point out who is see/hearing what and where. Respond only to your parts. Anything outside of you area is out of character knowledge, thou feel free to read it since I will give you an chance to hear all of the info later.}

Zack:

The four remaining element bares say there good beys to Spike then you all take off in the direction of the forest.

Passing by Fluttershy's cottage you are held up short by the sight of the cottage door hanging partly open. Walking up to it you can see police tap hung across the door with a note warning that the area is considered a crime scene.

Nigel:

The train back to the capital is fairly tense as Spike says as little as possible, due to his jaw. When you arrive home, the sight of guards and regulars paroling the streets is hardly reassuring.

"We need to get in touch with the princess, but if we just go right into the castle we could easily end up having to go through Songbird's ponies and even when we get there, he could easy be there too, if she is even home. If she is not then we are alone with him..." Spike shakes his head. "We should avoid that. We could also try going to the guard barracks. If we do that we will be able to get in touch with her, but we will almost certainly tip our hand the the general. What do you think we should do?"

"c-c-crime scene?" Zack shows his emblem to the nearest officer "I want a full run down on what happened there now!" Twilight could see the concern on his face she knew if Dash or Shy were hurt Zack would blame himself and most likely spiral like he did with his own mothers passing. it took him weeks to start start getting back to normal she thought.

Nigel had a strange pit in his stomach, but he couldn't pinpoint why. Something about this seemed wrong or off. He took a look around before nudging over at the school. "Why don't we visit the Academy first. There's a chance the Princess could be there. That and it'll give me a chance to talk to Dashing Orange."

Gives you the once over then nods. "Well what we know right now is that the owner of this establishment went missing during the attack on Cloudsdale. Orders where to investigate for anything that might lead to her location and prevent anypony else from trying the same." He straightness up a bit. "Now I am sorry, but there are new security measures in place so I cannot divulge are findings to anypony other then the princess, my superior or..." He trails off as he notices the 4 ponies behind you. "Any of them." He finishes.

"HI!" Pinkie waves.

"Um... right well, since you are with them I can tell you what we have found." He opens a small not pad and quickly leafs though it. "OK... right, what we have discovered so far is that... nopony has come here since she left this morning." He closes the not pad then gives you an apologetic shrug. "Honestly where mostly just here to see if anypony comes by to take a look."

"Come on! This is int helping us any!" Apple Jack insets. "We have to keep moving if we want to catch them in the frost BEFORE night fall!"

The grate school has been relativity untouched by the events of the last few days. The first stop you have to make is at the office of the head master.

Professor Xhayier looks up as you enter his office and gives you a tired smile. "Ah, my dear boy it is good to see you are well! After Dashing Orange was taken away I feared that you might have gotten wrapped up in the trouble that's been driving this city mad! I am glade you are safe thou. Ah and the same go's to you as well, master Spike!" He nods his head at the baby dragon.

"Its nice to see you aging too, sir." Spike seems oddly nervous around the old unicorn, thou considering his upbringing, the Professor would have been a fairly impotent figure, as if anypony apart from the princess herself would have been trusted to help in his mistress education it would have been the head of her university.

"Your right AJ lets get going" he turns to the others nods and follows them to the forest after awhile Zack's nerves start to get the better of him and he starts drawing his sword at the sounds, shadows, and little woodland critters "IN FAUST'S NAME, I never liked this forest but changelings add a whole new level of danger."

"Oh yes!" The professor shakes his head sadly. "He was called away to the hospital by order of Celestia herself. We thought we was just going to be gone for a few hours, but then a number of thous... oh what are they called... Regulars, that's it! A group of them came in to say that he was being detained and they where confiscating his personal effects and books." The old unicorn scowls. "I told them that they had no right, but they had all the paper work to prove that they did, in fact, have the right as of a few days ago." He gives you a serious look. "If you are involved in any of this I would be very, VERY careful, young Nigel."

Zack

As you move deeper into the forest you start to here a low sound. As you strain to hear it you can just barely pick up on the low sounds of what sounds like a mix of sobbing and uneven laughter. The sound sends chills down your spine.

As you brake through to a relativity clear patch you see a flash of yellow near the other end of the opening. At the same time the sobbing laughter rises rises in volume till its seems to echo all around you. The four friends instinctively draw together as the horrible sound rises in pitch. Then, without warning the sound changes, turning into a genuine, if some what cruel, laugh.

"Oh you are just to much! Did you run all the way out here just to look for your little lost friends? Oh that is so..." The voice takes on an almost snaring quality, "Precious."

Spike puts a claw on your shoulder. "At this point, I don't know if either of us have much of a chose."

Spike pulls back after a moment. "If Celestia can't be trusted, Luna out of the picture and Twilight out in the Everfree, we are low on options. Shining Armor, the captain of the royal guard, is Twilight's brother, but he is very loyal to the Princess. I don't think he would be willing to work behind her back, even if we think she IS no who she says she is, but his wife, princess Candice might be willing to help!"

Spike looks pensive for a moment as he runs his tong over a lizard like fang (reminding you that he is a dragon, if only a very little one), then nods, smiling slightly. "Yes, she will help us. She has plenty of reasons not take chances around changelings."

"Cadence stays at the place right now. As far as I can tell allot of her 'power' seems to be largely ceremonial, because she dose not seem to have her own kingdom and she is not part of Equestria royal family. If we can get into the place, I can get you to her. The trick will be getting in without tipping off the Princess or Shining Armor..." Spike scratches his chin.